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Topic: "Any excuse to not go to work!" (Read 9001 times)

BG: I know I've written about funerals a lot, but this has been one of those years. When I am able, I call in to a sub line to see if there is any substitute teaching work available, and I work PT at a restaurant while I'm studying for the bar. I'm curbing my teaching time to devote more time to studying for the February exam.

My Aunt Marie is Mom's sister. Our families are very, very close. We've gone to school together, played together when we were kids, etc., etc. Aunt Marie is also my godmother, and I go out for coffee once a week with her daughter, cousin Renee.

Aunt Marie married Uncle Mike. Uncle Mike's father died on Thanksgiving. He was 88, and he was an amazing man who appreciated the little things in life. I attended his funeral on Tuesday. End BG.

I carpooled to the church with my parents. Before the funeral, we saw a few of my mom's brothers and sisters outside the church, talking. One of my uncles says to me, "You're not working?"

I say, "I have today off."

Uncle says, "Wow! You'll use anything as an excuse not to go into work! You're almost as bad as those guys who go to the bereavement meals for people they don't know!"

I said, "I actually knew Mr. Smith (the deceased) well, and I'm attending for him and his family, not to get out of work or to get a free meal."

This is the same uncle who told Aunt Marie yesterday that she was taking advantage of the system by using her 5 day bereavement leave from her job. She was not happy, and told him that she used two of those days to attend the wake/funeral, and is using her remaining time to get things done that she didn't get to do during the flurry before the funeral.

And Dad wonders why I go elsewhere for some of the holidays when he has Obnoxious Uncle over. It just seems like he keeps getting ruder and ruder with each passing year.

Err, yes, of course she was taking advantage of her 5 days bereavement leave...that's what it's for. That's why it's called bereavement leave. If I have walked a long way I will take advantage of a handy park bench.

What a ridiculous and offensive man. It concerns me though that both you and your aunt answered him with justifications. You do not owe this revolting man anything, especially not an explanation of your behaviour. I used to do the same thing until someone pointed out that I was dignifying rudeness by treating it as a fair comment. "What an interesting assumption" or simply a cold stare and a cold shoulder are all this revolting man deserves.

araigne

What a ridiculous and offensive man. It concerns me though that both you and your aunt answered him with justifications. You do not owe this revolting man anything, especially not an explanation of your behaviour. I used to do the same thing until someone pointed out that I was dignifying rudeness by treating it as a fair comment. "What an interesting assumption" or simply a cold stare and a cold shoulder are all this revolting man deserves.

I absolutely agree! I've had to learn not to apologize or justify the comments of rude people, and I'm still learning. I need to work on my cold stare in preparation for Xmas at my in-laws' !